My book, Seduction began as an idea inspired from both a family story and Texas history. Further inspired by songs and singing, the story took shape with the heroine performing as a vocalist in a theater to support herself and build her future.
Here's the back cover summary of Seduction:
They challenged the town and each other with their forbidden affair.
Belinda Rose is two people. On stage, she's a confident vocalist who entertains her audiences. Alone, she longs for a secure home and her own opera house where she can entertain or book others to perform. She carries with her the painful memories of her past, but won't be denied her future. Can her love for a handsome businessman derail her plans? Cole MacPherson has become a wealthy entrepreneur in spite of his loveless childhood. What a shock when a beautiful singer knocks him for a loop. Could he learn to love? Does he dare?
The hero of Seduction, Cole, enjoys entertainers, including accomplished vocalists, and contracts them to perform in his theater out west in the small town of Sterling Springs.
Music has been a huge influence on my life through my mother's singing and my father's love of music. My daughter also loves music. So it was easy for me to write about a singer.
I've heard that many authors play music for inspiration and mood while writing. I'm so sensitive to music I find it very hard to think about what I want to write while music plays in the background. Even so, songs often inspire my story ideas.
The hint of a story comes to me sometimes with just one scene. It usually involves the strong feelings of only one or two characters. The emotion driving the characters in a scene often hits while I'm listening to a song.
Do you enjoy music? I like all forms of music. However, country music inspires my writing most often. Some of the slow songs by Tim McGraw have brought powerful story ideas to me. I've found inspiration for contemporary stories from Rascal Flatts' fast tempo songs. Trisha Yearwood's recordings evoke wonderful emotion for the various moods of my heroines.
A couple of my favorites other than country are Josh Groban and Bon Jovi. Some of the American Idol stars have inspired me with their powerful or sensitive renditions. For my shapeshifter historicals I find inspiration from many music sources including Robert Mirabal's dvd, Warrior Magician. The music of the movie King Arthur, with Clive Owen and Keira Knightley starring, is an amazing blend of powerful and poignant passages.
Does music help you? What music inspires you the most? I'd enjoy hearing your comments.
Jeanmarie Hamilton
http://www.JeanmarieHamilton.com
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SEDUCTION ~ out now/ Amazon.com
American Title II Contest finalist
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ARE YOU GOING TO THE DANCE? ~ July 2009/
The Wild Rose Press
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www.titlewave.blogspot.com
www.slipintosomethingvictorian.com
14 comments:
Hi Jeanmarie, first of all, congrats on the release of Seduction. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
I listen to music most of the time while writing. You mentioned Josh Groban. He's my fav. Il Divo, The Opera Band, Mario Frangoulis, Sarah Brightman are a few of my loves. Moody Blues, some Willie Nelson and Joe Nichols. The songs prove to me that most artists are lovers at heart. We love to sing and write about love. I've had some ideas come to me while listening to a certain song. I always wonder where I can take the story from just a few words or even a couple of chords.
Jane Leopold Quinn
Jane,
Thanks so much. Im so glad you liked Seduction. :-)
Il Divo is a wonderful group. I enjoy their songs too. Yes, from just a few words, or the emotion behind them, we can write the character's story. :-)
It's amazing.
No, any kind of music is a distraction for me.
I don't have to have absolute quiet to write, but I tend to screen out any background noises, while working.
Wish you lots of sales on your new book, Jeanmarie! Can't wait to read it.
Hi Jeanmarie, Seduction, what a gret title. Can't wait to read it.
No, music, depend on my mood. I use it to inspire. Billy Idol, fraught action scenes, when I need to be pumped up. Roberta Flack's, Feel Like Fallin' In Love for sweet sensual, paragraphs. I could go on and on. But just say it's an integreal part of the writing process for me. Dahlia
Susan,
I can't listen to music while I'm writing either. But when I do listen to music some of the words and music inspire story ideas. I always remember the songs that have the most influence on my writing.
Dahlia,
I'm so glad you like the title of my western historical romance. :-) How interesting that you like Billy Idol for action scenes. Great idea. I hadn't thought of him but it makes lots of sense for action scenes.
Hi Jeanmarie,
I saw your note on the FTH list about your blog and had to check it out. I find a huge amount of inspiration from music. Some people tell me they are inspired to write a character by a picture, but for me it is always music. One song can summon up a character or even a whole paranormal/fantasy world in my mind. I'm mainly inspired by opera or progressive rock. Evanescence and The Calling are two groups I've drawn inspiration from. I've also found Celtic music gave me lots of ideas for my Magic Knot fairy series.
Helen
Hi Jeanmarie,
Congrats on the release of Sduction. I look forward to reading it.
Since most of my stories feature Irish heroes, heroines, settings, and sometimes all three, I love to listen to Celtic music while I'm writing. I prefer instrumental music, though, since I tend to sing along (though not very well) with whatever I'm listening to. For inspiration, nothing beats a fiddle, a tin whistle, and a bodhran!
Hi Jeanmarie, I enjoyed your interview. I write to the soundtracks from Lord of the Rings, Braveheart, Rob Roy and Tristan & Isolde. I prefer music without words. I wish you every success on you release of Seduction!!! ^5
Diana
www.dianacosby.com
Hi Helen,
Thanks for coming by and relating your music preferences for writing. I'm going to look into your music choices. I've heard of Evanescence but not The Calling. Have to look them up. I love Celtic music too. :-)
I'm going to start leaving notes in my ms files about which song or songs inspired the story so I can go back to the same music for more inspiration when needed.
:-)
Cynthia,
So glad you came by!
What is a bodhran? I'm guessing it's a drum of some kind. :-)
I'm not a great singer either but I can whistle on key. ;-)
Hi Diana!
Thanks so much for your good wishes for Seduction. When you listen to those powerful soundtracks for your medieval stories, do you play the play the whole sound track or just the music that fits the scene you're writing?
:) Hi Jeanmarie, yes, I listen to the soundtracks consecutively.
Diana
www.dianacosby.com
Hi Jeanmarie,
Yes, a bodhran is the traditional Irish drum. It has a wonderfully deep sound.
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